Rigginit

Searched and read many topics relating to this and tried each of the solutions found to no luck.
Boost sees 7lbs perfectly. No creep no spikes. No matter what I seem to try I cant get more out of it. Friends have very similar set ups and same turbo etc. and none seem to have problems with this

B18a1 stock.
walboro 255,
dsm 450's
T04E turbo
38mm wastegate
2.5dp to gutted cat and 2.5 pipe all the way back.

No leaks in or out. pressure tested the charge pipes to 22lbs and no leaks with boost gauge reading it correctly.
Tried multiple variations with boost controllers and different lines before and after the wastegate diaphram no luck. Changed WG springs with various springs from friends all rated up to 20ish lbs or so, still nothing.
Hondata s300 with boost cut off etc.

I'm sure there's other things Ive tried that someone will mention but cant think of them atm.
Runs great in every fashion at 7lbs. but looking for 14lbs before taking it to tune. really dont think its the limit of the turbo being how friends have it too running much more than 7lbs. Any help is appreciated.

boredom

Based on your username of rigging it, I'm gonna guess you cut corners somewhere. Easiest way to get more boost, is to remove some vacuum lines, and put some washes in the wg. That or

Get a fucking tune

jdm monkey

exhaust leak between the turbo and the motor? when does it start building boost?

Rigginit

Had the surfaces checked and machined and fresh gaskets just over a month ago. boost kicks in around 4500 swiftly to 5lbs and steady right to 7lbs by around 5500 and holds steady all the way to the 7200 red line. Thanks for helpful response!

As for the name, it's just a name. It IS tuned at 7lbs. but cant get a tune on 14lbs without being able to get 14lbs. I would think the washers and pulling vacuum lines would be the ghetto shit you might be used to seeing but not here. On a budget here, but not desperate. Already purchased a different wastegate, downpipe, manifold, and tried various controllers from electronic to hondata PWM controlled controller. Tired of throwing money at this for no result.

Fabrik8

Get rid of the gutted cat. A gutted cat is a flow restriction.

Remove the cat so you're dumping out of the downpipe and see what happens. Sounds like something isn't connected properly though. There aren't a lot of things in a turbo system that regulate boost pressure, and you've replaced most of them. That would tend to point toward an installation issue or a turbo issue.

What are you using to measure boost pressure, and where are you taking that reading?

I haven't heard any mention of an intercooler either... Maybe your intercooler is garbage and is causing too much pressure drop?

Rigginit

Thanks for the reply.
I am using a boost gauge that is connected to the rear of the Intake manifold. It read accurate during the charge pipe testing when it was pressure tested for leaks etc.

As for an intercooler its an Emusa(?) I think is the brand. It is pretty large and very possibly causing that pressure drop.
would it cause a limit of 7lbs though? seems like a rather large drop from a turbo that should hit 18-20lbs+
Either way a buddy had a much smaller one new in the box (unsure of brand on that one) Ill try it out tonight.
Will have a test pipe made Tuesday and try an open downpipe. I don't have much time off work aside from Sundays so having the test pipe good to go just in case it solves it.

Up for other possibilities until then, will post results. Thanks again.

jdm monkey

try swapping out your wastegate itself?
the pressure drop is too drastic (20 lb spring with only 7 psi boost) even for a gutted cat and an intercooler restriction.

Rigginit

Sorry. Its not a 20lb spring in it at the moment. I was just referring to the limits of the turbo itself. I think the last spring i left in there was a 12lb spring. with all the different attempts at boost controllers etc I would think it would have left the Wastegate closed and should have spooled until it blew, but never have seen it go over 7.

jdm monkey

one more thing i would do is unplug the vacuum line to the wastegate and carefully test to see if the boost goes over 7

Rigginit

It does not. Just as steady that way oddly enough. I'm really thinking on the cat now. I was only told when I got it that it was gutted. I'm really doubting that it is which would cause everything I'm thinking. Can't wait til Tuesday!